


The Final Days of Hilda Valentine Goneril

by 609Ellie



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-12
Updated: 2020-01-18
Packaged: 2021-02-27 15:54:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 10,046
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22229764
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/609Ellie/pseuds/609Ellie
Summary: As the war has drawn to a close, Hilda and Marianne settle back in to their lives, and decide to follow-up on a promise they made years ago. Changes are rough, but hearts are strong. And the heiress to the houses of Goneril and Edmund are set on bringing themselves closer in peace than they ever could get in war.A 7-parter of short vignettes leading to a final moment written for #MariHilda Week.
Relationships: Marianne von Edmund & Hilda Valentine Goneril, Marianne von Edmund/Hilda Valentine Goneril
Comments: 3
Kudos: 39





	1. First Kiss

**Author's Note:**

> This fic follows more-or-less directly on from Across Fodlan’s Air. It’s not a necessary read beforehand as the plot is entirely unrelated, but it establishes the current timeline we're in much better than this one. If you’re just here for some Marihilda goodtimes you’re fine to go forward without it. If you're a "big picture" kind maybe read that first.

Marianne wasn’t quite sure where she was. In a moment of total stress she had allowed herself to lose track of the situation.

The sun was piercingly bright. The brilliant sunlight of a perfect summer’s day lit the sky a brilliant blue, yet she found herself dressed for war. The robes of the academy were heavy and matted, raising her temperature and restricting her movement. The luscious green of Gronder field was littered with discarded weaponry, broken arrows, impromptu armaments and banners of the Church. 

The sound of a male voice was the first thing she heard “It’s time to surrender you two, the rest of the Golden Deer has been defeated. We’ll be taking that victory.”

“I hear you Dimitri. Any other case I’d gladly turn-tail and let one of the others deal with you. But if it’s just Marianne left to protect I’ll put in the effort. Come at me.” Hilda postured, flexing her axe over her shoulder. In panic Marianne cast her strongest support magic she could muster on Hilda as she went in for a strike. Hilda laughed as the sudden burst of rejuvenation came in. “I just need one good hit”.

A heavy sound of metal on metal, followed by the wind being knocked out of Hilda indicated her confidence was mostly misplaced. Dimitri didn’t waste a second and turned to Marianne too. The strike of the training lance was soft enough to not leave any major damage, but had staggered her severely and had forced her down. Marianne accepted she had failed, and pulled the black sash from her arm signalling her removal from the fight before she dropped to her knees and lost her focus. 

* * *

Marianne wasn’t quite sure where she was. The first thing she knew the brightness of the sky had been overcast by a ceiling of great oaks. She looked up to find something to focus on like a tree or a branch, instead all she saw was Hilda’s warm smile. She was laying in Hilda’s lap as she regained her strength.

“Hey you’re finally better, I was worried I’d have to go get the infirmary team!” Hilda beamed, trying to hide her pride over nursing Marianne back to consciousness all by herself.

“Wh… where am I.”

“After Dimitri knocked us both out of the battle you blacked out, we’re on the wrong side of the field to the main resignation area with the rest of the house so I had to carry you out of the play area.” She gestured to the edge of the edge of the treeline, in the field proper the sounds of fighting could still be lightly heard “The other two houses are still going at it so we’re stuck here until the games are over”. 

“Oh my, thank you Hilda.” Marianne said as she rose from Hilda’s lap. Instinctively reaching for her chest in a defensive motion “I’m sorry I was such a burden”. She looked Hilda in the eyes, even with the sunlight behind her making her face hard to make-out in the shade, she could see make out ever delicate detail. She looked at her lips, her hair, her slender neck, and felt a twinge of regret in the back of her throat. Hilda had always been so good to her for no good reason, and Marianne could never pull up the words to thank her properly. Words weren’t enough to express what she wanted to put across.

“P-. -lease, it’s nothing. Healers like you tend to be real squishy so the fact you made it as far as you did is incredible. I’m sure the Deer would’ve only had half the chance we did without you there”. Hilda pulled Marianne to her feet and brushed off her chest. 

“No, umm.. But thank you. You’ve done so much.” 

“Again, you’re too kind. You don’t need to thank me at all” Hilda took out her water-bottle and took a hearty swig. Before offering the same to Marianne. She refused, and Hilda shrugged before making her way closer to the battlefield, trying to scout how much longer it might be. Marianne realised that they hadn’t been alone like this in a long time, since the very first days at the academy. And likely a chance like this wouldn’t come again for a while. 

“Hilda. Let me thank you”

“I’m seriously.” she nervously laughed. “You’re worrying too much about it.” Marianne knew her private chance to express her feelings was walking away with her. Perhaps it was still due to the unfiltered energy she had from recovering from the blackout. But she recognised it, this was time. 

“No, let me thank you”.

Hilda paused and turned to face back at her “Marianne… I’m not sure I quite follow”

Marianne caught up, paused, and gently pinched the cuff of Hilda’s collar. She swallowed her worries, and almost her own tongue, and kissed her.

Marianne had never kissed someone before. She wasn’t even sure she’d gotten close so kept it brief, an intangible, ephemeral feeling of bliss blossomed from her lips as she felt the warmth of Hilda be brought so close to her. Marianne was typically so cold-to-the-touch that Hilda’s energy quickly ran through both of them.

Once she’d finished Hilda stumbled backwards for a single step, her eyes briefly glazed over as she recalibrated before the colourful pink returned to them. Of all responses, Hilda began to laugh uncontrollably. Nearly causing her to lose the strength of her legs she was so trapped in a wholehearted belly laugh. 

Marianne’s cheeked turned crimson as she flusteredly turned her face away. Endlessly embarrassed by what she’d done. Hilda must have thought her insane, why bother, why try, she was cursed to always suffer and clearly her own hubris and caused her to embarrass herself for the one persons at the academy she felt truly comfortable with. She was about to start running before a pair of arms reached over her shoulders and locked on her chest from behind.“Why didn’t you just say so you silly mare...!”

* * *

Marianne wasn’t quite sure where she was. She pulled herself up from here bed and looked around, the room was pitch black and almost suffocatingly still. The only light in the room was through the tall windows the bed faced, from a small stripe of purple that outlined an indistinct horizon. It can’t have been earlier than 5 o’clock in the summertime. Soon the birds would start singing and the lamplighters would be making their rounds. 

A dream, it must have been a dream. Marianne rubbed her neck and yawned quietly, debating if she should try and return to sleep or give in to her broken cycle and move somewhere she could finish waking up without disturbing another. The thought of their kiss rolled in her mind like it were 5 minutes ago rather than 5 years. The vibrant emotions the only thing trailing, as the details of her dream inevitably washed away.

With the echo of her past fading further into the background of her mind, clouded out by the stillness of the night, she placed her head back onto her pillow. Marianne looked to her side to see if she was right. There lay Hilda: face mushed into the pillow in a pile of drool, as ugly a sleeper as ever.Her hair was tangled and frayed, her face was drooping, jagged from the healing of scars from months prior, her pose lay out to take as much of the bed as she could without forcing Marianne to the floor. She thought back to that kiss, how her brief moment of confidence had been the spark needed to light her life anew from that point. It didn’t save her from the anguish and pain along the way, but something, someone she loved, was enough to help her make it. She wondered how she’d been able to do it. But even a brief look at Hilda at her least composed was enough to remind her of the beautiful thing she’d been able to create from the ashes of her past. 

Marianne shuffled closer, close enough to hear Hilda’s gentle purring as she slept but not close enough to touch, for fear of ruining the moment. Simply close enough so she could hear her lover breathe. And she closed her eyes once again. 


	2. Future

As the final days of the war were over, and the beginning of Fodlan’s long-awaited peacetime had begun and families around the nation had begun to piece together what they had left. After the Goneril territory had been mostly destroyed in the fighting Hilda had taken to Edmund with Marianne. 

Marianne had taken her early-morning waking as an opportunity to head to market and stock up on supplies, the redistribution of resources since the end of the war meant supplies were often tricky to get ahold of, and she’d gotten into the habit of visiting the town every morning. She took her usual route, a trip to the fish merchants, a pass by the grocer, a pursuing of the local carpenter. Only making a brief detour to pass by the local smith and pick up her order, stuffing the little black box to the bottom of her basket. 

By the time she returned Hilda was stretching away her morning stiffness. Marianne pulled the curtains aside and Hilda flinched at the sudden brightness and pulled on her gown.

“Good Morning Marianne~. Been to town?”, Marianne nodded and placed her basket on the table “Ooie, any Strawberries come in yet?”

“No, sadly not.”

“Aww. Shame. I’ve been itching for something sweet that won’t go straight to my waist”. She got up and made her way to the window. Her figure shone through the thin nightgown and Marianne blushed and looked away to stop herself from losing her voice to Hilda’s form.

“I… don’t think that’s something to worry about”.

Hilda laughed and kissed Marianne on the cheek. “Your compliments are always so you. Most girls would be at my feet to tell me that I’d be perfect no matter what” she gleamed. 

“I’m sorry.”

“Shush your pretty face. It’s what makes you best”. She playfully placed her finger to Marianne’s lip and flicked it away. Then Hilda turned to the wardrobe and disrobed before. Marianne again became flustered and turned away from Hilda’s bare body. She felt the flush to her face hit with a wave harder than the tide. Hilda pulled out a short, neat, day-to-day dress and shimmied her way into it.

“Hey Hilda… What are you planning to do once things settle down in the Empire. Even with the alliance gone the Goneril territory is still in your hands right?”

Hilda pulled up her tights as she answered, clearly not giving the question the consideration Marianne thought it deserved. “I’m not really sure if returning home is viable right now. My little old frame is not designed to put together that mess that was left for me. Goneril will probably rebuild itself while I’m gone. I’m sure the new overheads would prefer me not sticking my nose in it.”

“Right. So you’ve not got any plans..” Marianne stammered slightly, gently twirling the runs of her own hair to keep herself focused. Hilda was orbiting around the answers she wanted. Marianne was subtly trying to steer the conversation to a specific place, fishing for Hilda to give her an ‘in’ to what she wanted to bring up. “Not planning on catching up on anyone else?”

“Hmm… Nah.” She stated, before beginning to tie her hair to the sides. “Not my problem, nothing there for me.”

“Okay… okay.” Marianne ran through more options of what to say. “So you’ll be staying in Edmund for a while longer.”

“Think so. I guess there’s no reason for me to stay but there’s less reason for me to go. If I did that I wouldn’t get to be with you, silly” she giggled, blowing a little kiss across the room.

That was it, that was her moment. “Well what if I could give you something that gives you more of a reason to stay. Would you like me to give you that? Would you let me”

Hilda clipped on her first earring before leaving her hands on her head to think. “What do you mean...?”

Marianne took a deep, singlar breath and shuffled to the basket she brought in at the start of the conversation.

“Hilda… will you… be my wife.” 

Hilda dropped her other earring in disbelief. 

“W...w.. W.w.w w… What.”

The golden hoop with studded pearls popped apart as it struck the ground, being the first thing to respond to her shock. Marianne performed a deep breath and called to her inner confidence; the awkward, difficult to reach part of her that gave her the confidence to take that step years ago in her past needed to be dug up to change her future. She slipped her hands into the basket and produced her order. The small, black box. She turned and opened it.

“Hilda… will you marry me?”

The ring was plain gold, and single studded Amethyst sparkled its purple light across the room blinding the two in that moment. Its radiance was able to freeze Hilda in her tracks, her eyes simultaneously transfixed on the ring and looking off into the horizon like unwashed static had overtaken her eyes. Marianne planted her feet and and kept her eyes locked onto Hilda’s.

Marianne stammered out something to break the silence “If… if you will…”

In an instant Hilda had made her way to the other side of the room and wrapped her arms around Marianne. She was surprisingly cold, Marianne thought. In her moment of frozen she had lost all feelings in her hands which slowly returned as she pulled her love in tight. 

“Marianne, there’s nothing in the world that could have come out of your beautiful mouth that would’ve made me happier than what you just said. Of course I will.” 

In her moment of relief she dropped the ring back into the basket and pulled Hilda in in return. The tangled web of emotions in her heart as it threatened to burst out of their chests. Once again Marainne found herself listening to Hilda’s breaths, this time staggered, coarse running through the same spectrum of euphoria that had brought the two of them together. 

“Thank you so much Marianne”

“I…” Marianne’s instincts to reject the thanks were quashed by Hilda raising her lips into a kiss. 

“If you want to apologise, make it about how much you’re going to make me spend on making a brand new dress.” Hilda twirled the loose thread of Marianne’s hair as she traced the line down her chest with her other hand. Her disbelief of joy still threatening to tear her away like a whirlwind “And still, don’t bother.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> “Hey, strawberries! You lied.”
> 
> “Sorry, I was worried if you dug through the basket you’d find the ring…”
> 
> “Dangit Marianne. Stop having reasons!”


	3. Flowers

Since their planning of the wedding had begun, Hilda had sprung into action as the force of nature she always was stirred back into effect. Marianne often had to make the nuanced decisions of planning, but she comfortably knew that if something simply needed getting done then Hilda would handle it.

“Something about it being for you just makes me want to put the work in!” was the typical answer she’d give. A phatic response of justification for her incredible ability to focus in on something that she was passionate for. Hilda wasn’t one to sweat the details, often when specific decisions of location and time were brought to her she’d simply laugh it off and offer a playful shrug in response, an implied “whatever you want”.

“Hilda, how do you imagine it being?"

“Hmm… I’d always imagined a fairytale wedding when I was a girl, but if something lowkey is more your style I’ll just be happy you’re comfortable”

“I think one of the old cathedrals would be nice, the Church of Serios may be gone but they’re still beautiful places. We might have to organise some times to refurbish one though…”

“Ugh that sounds like a lot of work. That smaller wedding is suddenly sounding like a much better idea.”

“Edmund or Goneril territory?”

Hilda didn’t respond right away, turning to one side and instead answering to the wall. “Here would be nicer. It’s better for everyone to get too.”

Marianne was caught off-guard the first time Hilda came in with a request specifically. 

* * *

“Silvervine Roses”

Marianne pondered. “I’m not sure I’ve ever heard of that one”, she put aside the book she was reading and began to trail around the bookshelves as they talked.

“They’re super pretty. I had a bunch of them in my room as a kid and hadn’t thought about them in years. But I passed by a florist recently and the idea suddenly sprung to me.”

“Did you ask them about it?”

“I did. He had some seeds for them but they grow super slow. Like, years-long slow. And I’m not pretty enough to wait that long for them. So we’re gunna have to think of other ideas. They usually grow way up north so we should go on a journey to get some!”

“Hmm… I’m not sure it’s the best idea to be poking around former kingdom territory right now… there’s still rumbling of instability around there…” Marianne trailed off, beginning to fish through a collection of books. She skimmed the spines before pulling out a botany almanac and turning to the Silvervine’s page.

“Oh dear… Like you said it’s a 20-year cycle. That’s a long time for a flower…”

“But they’re so pretty! There’s got to be something else. Keep reading…”

Marianne scanned further through the technical details, digging back in her brain to her greenhouse duty appointments at the monastery to remember what many of the terms mean. “It says it’s a close relative of the Jaidi Blossom. Those take only a few weeks to grow and are in bloom in the forests north of here right now. If he has the seeds we could ask him to crossbreed them to a strain that grows fast if we got a few handfuls of Jaidi ourselves. They might be a slightly different shape but would look the same if that’s what you want. If you’d be happy with that Hilda we could try it…” Marianne looked back up from the almanac and witnessed the empty space she had been speaking to. “...Hilda” 

In her confusion she heard the sound of a woman on a mission trekking out the back of the manor into the stables echoing down the corridors.

“Hold on, wait! Hilda!” Marianne mustered as she began to give chase.

* * *

Marianne saddled up Dorte and caught up to Hilda as the two trotted their along the northern roads. 

“So Marianne, what’re we looking for?” Hilda asked once they made their way into the forest-proper. Taking in the whole area as they made their way like an excited child. 

“Jaidi are noncompetitive, too many trees and we’re less likely to find them. So a glade or clearing might be the best place to find some.

“Clearings, got it. Don’t worry I’ll found us some in no time at al-” Hilda eep’d as a particularly low treebrach smacked into her face, causing her to stumble backwards on the horse and panicily clutch the saddle for support.

As Hilda righted herself again Marianne giggled. “You must be careful, it seems the Fir don’t like your attitude” she smiled her dainty smile as she subtly pulled Dorte closer into the centre of the road to reduce her own chances of a similar blunder.

Hilda huffed a little in response, but quickly humbled at the sight of Marianne’s earnest enjoyment of it. “Yeah, I suppose you’re right as always. You probably know this place like the back of your hand” Marianne nodded, returning her focus to the road “Was this what it was like back where you stayed during the war too?”

“In Lillté? No… I suppose not. The trees here are more muted, much quieter in there colours. Although I think I prefer that. Everything’s always so… still.” Marianne paused to continue her thoughts, allowing the sole sound being the clacking of their horses’ hooves on the ground echo her sentiment. “I think there’s something lovely about it. There’s less vying for attention, so I grew up appreciating it all the more… What was it like where you grew up further south?”

Hilda shrugged loudly. “I don’t know. I never noticed this stuff. Going out to play as a small girl was hardly fitting of my demeanour. ‘Though when we were kids Holst...” Hilda hesitated, and Marianne couldn’t tell if she’d noticed something or stream of thought had suddenly forked “He’d, always try to drag me out to play. Usually we’d go to the coast instead. The ocean is gorgeous around the capital, as you know.”

“I’d love to see that place again some day. You’ll have to take me there sometime before the wedding.”

“Haha… yeah. I guess I should. Maybe at some point. Hey! Come take a look at this.” Hilda dashed off her horse once again and vanished down a subtle hidden track. Marianne quickly followed suit.

The two emerged into a small clearing of trees. The ground with strewn with hundreds of hundreds of flowers blooming in circles of colour. They were staggered at the edges of the glade, as if gently flirting with the idea of growing amongst the shade of the Firs, but closer to the centre their numbers ballooned to a density enough to completely swallow the grass in a sea of extravagant whites. 

Hilda immediately dismounted and skipped her way to the centre of the glade. Leaving footprints in floral snow as she did so before flopping down to face the sky. Marianne followed trying more carefully not to stand on too many of them along the way but joining her to lay, entangling her fingers in Hilda’s as they took a deep breath to look at the sky together. 

“Is this the right stuff?”

Marianne nodded, before realising Hilda couldn’t see her from their vantage and let out a small hum of agreement. “I think so. It matches the Jaidi description personally, although I’ve never seen so many together before. Perhaps they like the seclusion from the rest of the forest” Marianne pondered as she turned to look at Hilda. In the surroundings of white her colours were more vivid. Hilda turned the same, as the two smiled at each other. 

“Moments like this Marianne… it’s some kind of magic. Things like this always find me when I’m around you.”

“If you never went out much I’m not surprised.” Marianne giggled again. She thought back to what Hilda had said earlier, about not wanting to experience much of her own territory in her youth. She must have missed out on many small moments like this because of it. But to have come out the strong and beautiful person she was, Hilda had her own little world. Marianne was grateful Hilda had allowed her in so much, and her heart beamed at the thought of how close they’d become. “Although I’m sure what you saw would be just as magical to me”. 

“Maybe so Marianne, maybe so.” Hilda suddenly rose back up to survey the field once again. The wind had begun to pick up bringing a surprisingly chilly air to the glade. “We better get picking. If we just got a bagful he should work his magic, right? Then we’ll get those Silvervine in the bag!”

Marianne sighed at Hilda’s sudden focus on the task pulling them away from the moment, She was hoping to be given a moment to say what was on her mind but once again she’d used her ways and shifted the momentum back into her hands. Hilda made her way to the edge of the glade back to their horses and offloaded their bags. She began to deftly pull the field, carefully making sure not to remove too many in one clump to not leave patches in the field’s beauty. Marianne remained sat in the centre, watching Hilda, wondering why the sudden shift in air had come, and what it was Hilda was so desperate to avoid by so suddenly returning to work.


	4. Comfort

It was the penultimate night before the ceremony. The preparations had taken most of the time from their Summer and the eclectic reds and browns of fall had begun to overtake Fodlan. After their final trip to a local bakers to confirm their order for the reception the two had spent the afternoon at a local teahouse wiling away the hours with new friends local to the Edmund territory.

Marianne had struggled to keep focus during the evening however. With the wedding's reception the following evening, and the ceremony itself scheduled for early the morning after. Marianne found herself dangerously aware of the time slipping away before the big day. And she couldn't stop thinking about Hilda's consistent aversion to one particular topic. As they made their way back to the Edmund manor she raised the point again.

“Hilda, you've spent the whole time in the leadup to the wedding here in Edmund. Are you sure you don’t want to ever go back to Goneril, even once beforehand? Even just to see-”

Hilda interrupted “I understand what you’re saying Marianne, but there’s nothing left for me there now. Not after what happened…” Hilda began to walk through the gates before Marianne quickly pinched her cuff to keep her from snaking away again.

“Are you absolutely sure though... the wedding’s so close now. Aren’t you worried that you’ll regret not doing it-”

Hilda interrupted again “Like I said, there’s nothing there for me right now. Now come on, it's going to get cold soon."

“Hilda, every time I’ve brought up this topic over the past few weeks you’ve avoided giving me an answer. I really think you should consider it. There is something there for you. Why aren't you-"

Hilda began to get visibly frustrated, hating the corner Marianne was backing her into she began to respond in more flustered tones. "Well if there is it's not like it's waiting for me. I can do it later fine.”

“Hilda, you need to go and tell them-”

“Stop worrying, Maria-”

“No."

Marianne raised her voice, causing Hilda to stumble backwards slightly in surprise. "No. I’m not hearing you sneak out of this again Hilda. I don’t want any excuses. You need to go and confront this tomorrow. Before the wedding”. It hurt Marianne to dig up the anger to respond the way she felt. But Marianne was truly worried that Hilda was digging herself into a hole and was pulling to try and stop her.

“Ugh. You can’t make me Marianne.” Hilda huffed back. Raising her voice in response. The tiniest blade of earnest anger buried in the back of her reaction only made it slice more precisely through Marianne. Marianne was taken aback but stood her ground. Not breaking through her own “I can’t believe you. I can’t believe you’d say that Marianne. I don't need to do anything of the sort. He can find out later. I don't need to deal with this from you.” 

And with one final dramatic flair she turned around and made her way away from Edmund manor. Marianne briefly considered following her, but knew in her own way that it would’ve been foolish to try, and turned around back into her home. 

* * *

By the time they were able to face each other again, the cloudy sky had turned to stars. 

“I’m sorry Marianne. I didn’t mean it.” Hilda leant over the balcony's edge beside Marianne, taking in a deep breath of the night's cool air. It had been a few hours since their argument and Marianne had spent the whole time waiting on the front balcony waiting to see what would happen. Marianne had seen Hilda try to sneak through the back door of the manor without being spotted and had spent the interim time before they reunited to come up with something substantial to say. 

“No Hilda, you did mean it. I don’t want you to pretend you didn’t. And... I meant what I said too...” But with that warning she still felt like she failed. Marianne couldn't raise herself to look her love in the eye as she spoke. The two had had their occasional tiffs over inconsequentials, but as a couple they had never been put in a situation where the threads had been frayed the way they were. Marianne knew Hilda well, and she knew that since she was the one to put her foot down, it would be her responsibility to raise it to allow them to take their first step. “But that doesn’t mean you were wrong for saying it."

Marianne could feel the distance between the two of them as they spoke, the balcony was only a few meters wide but they were taking full advantage of it in that moment.

Hilda remained unspeaking, so Marianne spoke again "I'm sorry if I hurt you, but I know how much harder it'll get the longer you wait. I don't want you to make this too much for yourself. I want to try and help you through it."

Again, silence. The stillness in the air faded out as the sounds of a whirring breeze begun. Marianne remained with her eyes to the ground the whole time, desperately hoping the noise of gravel below would form into the shape of something to guide her thoughts. But for all she tried, the pebbles didn't speak back.

“I’m just… so scared." Hilda finally spoke, in a quiet tone Marianne had rarely heard. "I’ve spent all my time after the fall of the Alliance here with you… in this bubble away from what happened. Every day’s been just a day here with you, I’m not sure I’m ready to wake up from this dream. If I just stay here it’ll be just like it never happened. How can I be sure I’ll be able to deal with what I find once I return…”

“Hilda. It’s not something you can be ready for” Marianne finally looked up from the ground at Hilda. She was similarly trying to find consolation in the coarseness, but Marianne could tell from the shimmer in her eye that what Hilda was holding back was preparing to break through. “But you need to do it Hilda. And I want to give you the strength to do it. You’ve given me so much of your own in the times I needed it that I sometimes worry you'll burn yourself out, and you always proved me wrong. But this time, if you’re worried you can’t do it, I will help you. I can promise you everything I have. And once you do it I can give it all to you again.”

The wind had started to pick up further. The trees surrounding their home began to twist into spirals around them "I'm scared because it feels like nothing's changed. The days just after he left and the days after the news, they were so scarily the same. I kept having to go on, but I've gone on like it was before, like all I'm doing is waiting for him to come back one day." Hilda stood up and turned to Marianne, her hands were shaking as she put them into the sides of her hair to keep herself in place. "It's like I'm still just waiting for him to come home. I don't want to lose that, don't want anything else like that. What if... I'm... I don't want to have to face it. I'm scared of it."

Marianne caved and sliced through the gap between them, wrapping her arms around Hilda in a loving embrace. The two gripped each other like their lives depended on it, a panicked emotionally charged embrace they hadn't felt together since combat. Hilda began to sob gently into Marianne’s collar, desperately pressing her face into Marianne's chest to try and hold back the flood. The two stood on their balcony together as the winds began to settle down again, returning to a rough brustle in the corners of their hearing. The chill of the air remained, but together they could feel themselves fending off the cold as one.

"I know what it's like to have to confront something you've tried to hide from... If you let me, I'll do my best to help you too".

Hilda looked up into Marianne once again, the sparkling of her iris' still wet with fear, but an underlying shimmer of hope had begun to creep its way to the top as well.

* * *

“Okay. Marianne. I’ll do it.”


	5. Family

Hilda had done a good job keeping face during their journey to the Goneril Cathedral, one of the few buildings in the territory left almost entirely untouched by the conflict. The whole journey had been her usual string of laughs and casual observations of the journey. She’d told Marianne about countless stories of her youth from her times visiting the Cathedral as she was young. Some of them were new, some of them Marianne had heard before, but either way she had just enjoyed listening to Hilda talk with her endless enthusiasm. Unlike usual though she had never given Marianne a chance to add her own two cents, Hilda hadn’t stopped talking the whole journey, hopping from topic to topic with no thought for coherence, Marianne thought it telling. She knew what they were going there for, they both did. And Hilda didn't want time to think about it too much. 

But after their horses were tied to the gates of the Cathedral grounds they suddenly turned qui. Marianne placed her arms around Hilda and held her close to her chest in comfort.

“Are you sure you’re okay by yourself Hilda? I can be there too if you’d like”.

Hilda broke from Marianne’s embrace and smiled. “It’s okay Marianne, some things just need to happen the way they’re going to happen, y’know? I’m doing this partly because you wanted me too, if anyone’s got the right to cold feet it shouldn’t be you!” she laughed, a little bit hollow but the flicker of Hilda's spirit sparked inside of it. 

Marianne sighed. “I understand what you mean.” She said, before gently bringing their lips together. Hilda paused briefly as they separated, lingering on the moment of their kiss before returning back to reality and turning to make her way into the grounds.

* * *

After the Empire had claimed victory in the war, much of the former Alliance and Kingdom territories were left to their own devices, often with concessions made to allow them to continue with much of the structure. Marianne and Hilda had both retreated to the former Edmund manor to help maintain order over their corner of the world and help guide the healing process of the townsfolk as adapted to their new rulers' philosophy. 

Marianne had noticed how keenly Hilda was to assist in this task, but had given it little thought at first. Edmund had been lucky enough to avoid much of the conflict due to its remote location, and Goneril had been stricken with much more destruction. With a reasonable assumption that the territory would be handed over to the Empire, Hilda perhaps could simply have chosen to take the new life her and Marianne were forming together and call it her own.

But late one evening, when Marianne had been struggling to sleep she had taken to wandering to spend her energy. As she wandered she found herself in the house's front sitting room, and her attention was caught by an unusual object on the ground. 

A letter with an imperial sigil marking its contents as from one of the highest decrees in their new society. It had been scrunched up and tossed to the fireplace in a hurry, but evidently too much of a fuss to check if it had actually landed in the flames. 

'For the attention of Hilda Valentine Goneril.

I hope this letter finds you in good health. I am glad to hear whenever I learn of any of our former students of the monastery that have survived the conflict. I heard you have taken residence in Edmund with Marianne, I am glad to learn your relationship remained fruitful through the conflict.

Sadly I could not take much time away from my new duties for idle chitchat, and the topic at hand is not so lighthearted. This letter is in relation to your late brother Holst Goneril. The empire has taken the policy of giving as many fallen soldiers as is possible. But I wanted to directly inform you of what were to become of his fate to not allow you to live with not-knowing. As a man I had to personally cross paths with I feel the weight of this information for you, even if it is to be a hundred score more heartwrenching for you. The body is to be taken to Goneril Cathedral and laid to rest within your family plot on the third of the Great Tree Moon, with many more of the brave soldiers who fought by his side to follow suit. 

Your brother was a strong-willed and strong-hearted person who in a better world would be here to see it. Yet sadly his path has been washed away by the tides of change. As we met on the battlefield I saw the passion inside of him, I hope that you can carry that on for him. 

Signed

Emperor Edelgard von Hresvelg'

Marianne re-lit the fire, and tossed the letter into the flame. She stared briefly into it as she watched it burn, then retired for the night.

* * *

Marianne thought back to that letter as she followed the path Hilda had taken through the Cathedral's Graveyard. She was careful to remain out of Hilda's sight to keep her promise, but eventually settled to rest her back against the wall of the cathedral proper, a corner away from where Hilda had stopped, within range of her voice. 

Hilda cautiously surveyed the area before settling on a particular large unmarked stone. Staring into it like a deer caught in a wildfire, unsure of where to run. She held out her arm and grabbed the air in front of her, as she did the aura of her Crest began to flow through her.

The stone in front responded in kind, the concentric spiked circles of Goneril flickered to life on the front of the stone, a small glow of the marking presented before her before fading away again in-time. Hilda gasped in realisation as she realised she had found it, and fell to her knees with an audible crash to the ground without thought for where they’d land. 

Hilda immediately broke down, the last lingering stones holding her composure crumbled, and the bottom had fallen out beneath her.

“Holst, I'm so sorry. I’m sorry that I've been so afraid to see you all this time. I'm sorry I won’t continue the name Goneril on like you’d wanted. I’m sorry that you won’t be around to see everything. I’m sorry that I couldn’t have helped you when you needed me. I’m sorry that there’s. I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry”

She fell further to the ground, barely holding herself form flopping into a pile on the floor. “Holst, I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry-” Endlessly chanting it to the earth like a mantra. Slowly getting more and more corrupted and slurred as her sobbing descended into incomprehensibility. Slamming her fist into the ground she let out an almighty wail.

Marrianne pressed her back against the wall and slid to the ground. She could bite her tongue to fight the instinct to cry too, breaking her promise to let her do this alone crossed her mind but she kept the will to stay. She thought too about who she’d lost. The thought of how Margrave Edmund had lost his own life to fight and let her run free in the midst of the war returned to her for the first time in a long time. 

* * *

“How are you feeling Hilda…” Marianne asked as Hilda returned to the front of the Cathedral. A numb clouding over her eyes caused her to look right past Marianne. 

“He’s really gone… I think. I just have to accept that don’t I?”

Marianne grabbed Hilda by the shoulders before pulling her in for a close hug. Hilda began to tear up again, as her legs began to weaken beneath her. Marianne continued to hold her as the two collectively dropped to their knees.

Marianne kept her grip tight as she whispered into Hilda’s ear. “It’s… okay to feel sad. I learned that a long time ago. It’s okay for it to hurt… I can’t heal your heart the way I can heal your scars. But I can try.”

Marianne rested her chin on Hilda’s head. The two remained silent for a few minutes. Marianne wrapped her fingers around Hilda’s as she offered her comforting support.

“Family is family, and tomorrow I’ll be so honored to be allowed to enter yours...”

Marianne’s heart fluttered as she heard Hilda’s idiosyncratic optimism return. Hilda’s strength returned to her in an instant. Suddenly she found herself in a consolation pile to be lifted in the air in Hilda’s arms as she smiled a smile that reached from coast to coast.

“...because together. That’s what we’ll be. Holst wouldn’t want me to be down and glum on a day like this. So I’ve gotta power through this for him! Now let’s ride, we’ve got to get back and get ready for the reception!”

And in a single heartbeat the two hopped back on their horses and made a break for Edmund. Hilda’s heart still broken, but held together with a pair of delicate hands together. 


	6. Dance

“I guess this is it Marianne. Our spotlight dance. With the ceremony tomorrow, and with all these reception guests watching. It’s time to do our thing…”

_ As big dreams become small. _

_ The stars feel doomed to follow suit. _

‘Just like we’d practiced’ Marianne thought to herself as she placed her hand to Hilda’s hip, letting her fingers trace along the stitching on her waist. An untangleable knot in her throat was the only thing preventing her from bursting out in tears from the stress. After all spending all month together with the notion of this dance on the horizon she’d struggled to be at ease even once. Marianne wanted to get it out-of-the-way but Hilda had insisted it wait until the sun had set, and who was she to deny her?

In her distraction she failed to notice Hilda release her fingers and gently place her palm onto Marianne’s cheek. “Don’t worry about it. We’ll be fine.”

Marianne took her first step, held her and Hilda’s arms wide, and began to let her body move. As calmly and as gracefully as they could muster they began their dance. 

_ As the night sky burns too bright _

_ Worries about my future take root _

“Well, well, well, fancy seeing you here Hanneman”

“Manuella, yes I suppose it has been a long time since we last spoke”

“Not since those long nights at the Silver Maiden have I had the unspeakable pleasure of your company”. It had been a long, long time since the two of them had been in the same room. After successfully holding off a Kingdom invasion that greatly wounded the two of them they were both discharged to the capital and had twisted the hands of fate to make it so their paths never crossed.

“I will choose to take that in earnest. I find myself more surprised that you were welcomed as a guest. Unlike some of us with history with them, you strike me as an outlier” he mused, thoughtfully scratching his beard.

“Oh shut that moustache, I taught the two of them just as many classes as you did back at Garreg Mach. Just because you took the credit for their house doesn’t mean I don’t know a thing or two about  _ your _ students.”

Hanneman didn’t answer. Instead taking another sip of his whiskey and making another inquisitive look at Manella. Her age had taken its toll, but she had put in the effort to look exquisite. Contrasted against his own attire, the same scraggly suit he’d been wearing for formal occasions since he was a man a third his age he suddenly felt more charitable to her. After all, her being less likely to attend meant her showing is all the more important to her. He let out a single chuckle and turned back to watch Marianne and Hilda. They had finally gotten moving after some brief hesitation, and the room had spread to give them space. They were now flowing gracefully across the room, the visual poetry of their movements spelling out a thousand complex emotions. 

Manuella dropped the act, and pointed to the singer on stage, nearly spilling her martini in the process. “I came for moral support.” 

“But you still needn’t be here because of that. With her working you don’t seem like you’ll actually spend much time with her tonight.”

“I suppose you’re right. I do have my reasons.” She laughed, turning away to rest her elbows on the bartop. “When you spend your life around acting, you develop a taste for watching people in the throws of earnest passion”. As she said that Hanneman looked to the centre of the room. The couple were twirling around each other, letting their dresses stream together as they continued their dance. Their collective grace pulling in the focus of the room as they continued their dance.

“Well Manuella, if you keep facing that way you’ll miss it. Let’s put aside the squabbles for tonight then. Join me for a drink”. Hanneman raised his glass.

“Now you’re speaking my language.”

_ But a single drop can start a wave. _

_ Large enough to tear down the wall. _

“As you can clearly see. They have rehearsed this to the highest degree of precision. The way Hilda is able to balance out Marianne as they perform the more weighty motions shows the incredible degree of trust the two share.” 

“Well well well Lorenz, you see yourself as a bit of a dancer do you?” Ferdinand laughed as he welcomed himself to the conversation with characteristic aplomb. Ignatz took the opportunity to immediately escape from Lorenz’s grasp.

“As a matter of fact, I do. I was the elective dancer for the Golden Deer after all, there is little less to be expected as a noble such as myself. Not much exists in the world of dance I cannot explain.”

“Oh please, do tell me Lorenz what you see”

“Observe our two for the night” Lorenz gestured. The song has begun to reach its height and the two we moving in peak harmony. 

“Witness how close they are in their embrace. Marianne may be the taller of the two but she keeps her eyeline on-par with Hilda at all times. By not embracing their natural. Especially considering the particular operetta this song comes from being the Tale of the Lonely Road.”

Ferdinand laughed and patted Lorenz’s back hard enough to cause him to spill his drink. “That’s always been your problem Lorenz, you’re a good person with a world-view as narrow as your neck. For what purpose would the two of them be doing a dance to represent sadness, given the occasion.”

Ferdinand expected Lorenz to defend his position, string together some argument that made his answer still correct. But instead he simply looked back at the couple. Catching a spin tight enough for Hilda to have been raised off the ground for a moment before they landed again and took to their places.

“Well, you seem to be correct. Perhaps I should rethink my interpretation of this particular dance…”

“Perhaps you should actually wait until you’ve seen The Tale of the Lonely Road before judging their song choice; considering it’s quite an optimistic story.”

The two of them both laughed wholeheartedly. “Once this dance is over and the floor returns to the room, let me show you how a proper dance is done. I doubt I’ll be able to show up the stars of tonight, but I can show you some steps.” Ferdinand offered.

“Ha! I would be honoured. Just remember who you’re handling as you do, it would reflect poorly on House Gloucester were I to be injured in such circumstances.” 

_ The touch of our two hands together. _

_ It makes me fear that I might fall _

Bernadetta and Ashe sat awkwardly at their table. Both having been invited as friends-of-friends had left them less likely than most to end up in a circumstance where they knew well who they’d be surrounded with; but thanks to their respective invitees dispersing to other places in the crowd the two had ended up sitting at the same table. They were happy to watch. They didn't have the best view but the room was still enough where they were comfortable to observe from that post and the gravity of the blossoming couple was to pull their weight from across the stars.

After a brief pause in the song as Hilda pivoted Marianne for a twirl, they happened to lock eyes. Bernadetta instinctively looked back to the ground as her face flushed red. 

Ashe put on his warmest smile and asked “Do you happen to like dancing Bernadetta?”

“Umm… sorry, I just realised I think I heard someone call me over. I’ll see you later okay bye.”

“Wait Bernadetta… ah. I guess some things never change. Maybe if I find find Felix I’ll get more than a word out of her” He said to himself. The song had begun again to its final verse, and Marianne had effortlessly turned her spinning momentum into a waltzstep as the two carried on as one again. He clacked his own glass of water against the one Bernadetta had left on the table as a spiritual cheers to the couple and placed his hand to his head. Letting himself instead return to being transfixed on their movements. The radiant warmth of their emotional display seeping into him and all else who watched.

_ As small dreams become big. _

_ The horizon pierces through the strife. _

In her head all she heard was silence. Struggling to hear the music behind her own stress and worry about ruining the moment for the two of them, Marianne had placed full faith in her legs to simply know the patterns. They had practised and practised and practised until the sun became the stars and the night became the day but as she felt the room fade away around her the voices reminding her what to do dissolved away with them.

The darkness in her eyes covered more and more, until all she was sure she could see was blackness. In a brief moment, she threatened to misstep.

“You’re doing great Marianne”

It echoed around her, in the silence of her head the quietest of whispers had the space to grow. In a single motion that brought their heads close Hilda had taken the chance to calm her partner’s worries. She looked again: piercing through the dark clouds a beautiful beacon poked through; it radiated a calming aura. She focused on Hilda’s face, the boundless joy and confidence they radiated pressed back against her anxieties and made her keep on going. 

Beyond all her rational beliefs, and behind her irrational throttling of her own confidence, every step was correct. She had hoped her body knew what to do and as adeptly as the finest cut jewel her movements had all come together. 

As the final melodies of the song drew to a close, she heard the finale approaching. The thousand birds weighing down her heart all raised their wings and flew away. The darkness at the corners of her vision blossomed into a glorious light as she began; leaning forward for the final pose, holding Hilda up at the two of them bent towards the floor, feeling her hair tip around her as Hilda pressed her weight into Marianne’s hand and let herself, one leg planted to the floor and the other raised to the sky. She could finally see the woman in front of her whole again

They had done it.

The final notes played, as the heavenly vocals faded away into quiet. The slow patter of applause quickly spread across the whole room they finished. A single tear of relief dropped from her face onto Hilda’s as she pulled her back up onto her own feet. 

As she returned, Hilda wiped away the tear Marianne had dropped onto her face before it began to blend in with her own. And pulled Marianne in.

_ Alone as two, together as one. _

_ Blessed by the moment you entered my life. _


	7. The final day.

Hilda lay her head in her arms. The minutes ticked away as ceremony began to fall into place around here. Outside her room the halls were deathly silent as if the world had completely shut down behind her. After a morning of finally putting on her dress she waited eagerly for the town bell to ring to mark the middle of the day, and that it would be time for her to head down.

After so long, so much heartbreak and heartgrowth. She could feel her whole future being channelled through this one day. 

Her dress was an exquisite design she had spent countless late night of the preceding weeks putting together herself. The dress was a tight, form-fitting spin on what she considered a traditional design: the top half clutched to her curves with a pristine white gloss with subtle pink trim; until it reached her waist before ballooning outwards into a kaleidoscope of rainbow coloured floral decorations that reached to the floor. Her hair had been tied into her twintails but she had spent the early-hours braiding them into a seemingly endless weave that she had to fight the instincts to play with in her wait.

* * *

The bell struck midday, and she shot to her feet in an instant. She had to resist the urge to dash down the halls of Edmund manor both to restrain her overexcitement and at the risk of tumbling over her waterfall of a dress.

She carefully and with great momentum made her way through the halls and to the garden door. She did one final checking of herself before entering through. She fluffed her hair, brushed her dress, took a deep breath, and ready for anything, Hilda opened the door stepping into the light.

The manor’s gardens spiralled out from the centre as pots upon pots of Silver-topped blossoms filled her view. The sun beamed the sky to a most excellent shimmering blue without a single cloud to spoil the sight. And at the centre of this glorious spiral of circumstance stood Marianne. She rested gently on her knees a silk pillow with her head hopefully smiling towards Hilda in the shade of a central gazebo that had been built specifically for this occasion.

Hilda walked forwards into the sea of sparkling silver. The garden was hauntingly quiet with only the two souls to fill it, neither of which were in any want to break the silence between. As she walked she never let her focus leave Marianne.

Marianne’s dress was even more stunningly beautiful than Hilda’s. Her traditional gown of sheet-white was decorated with endless gold leaf trims that spiralled in ever more twisting and intricate designs as the reached towards the emphasis points of her dress. Her long hair had been let down for the first time in years and it had been straightened and draped across her shoulders. Allowing her magnificent blue hair to contrast against in a sheet plainness against the complex details of her collar’s frills. 

In her lap was a small, undetailed, wooden box no bigger than her own hands that she tightly gripped on to. Hilda watched as she approached how she was gently scratching the corners in her worry. ‘Marianne...’, she thought ‘...You have no need to worry. This moment will be perfect.’

Hilda arrived at the centre with Marianne and rested onto her knees too, as she lowered to Marianne’s level the two lent forward for a single, gentle kiss. A brief moment of contact that was still enough to send a lightning-storm down both of their chests in the process. As they did Hilda allowed her hand to rest gently on Marianne’s cheek, she could feel her own stillness contrast against the energy Marianne was actively having to use to stomp down her anxiety.

The two lent back again and looked each other in the eyes as Marianne began. 

“Hilda. I’d spent so much of my life before we met turning away from people. But when we first met you wouldn’t let me do that. Gestures as simple as coming to speak to me at our first class together to the countless times you came to my aid in battle as I accepted defeat, you refused to let me retreat away from people. As we grew closer as friends I found I no longer wanted to do that with you. I don’t want to ever turn away from your love. And together, today, I am finally truly able to express that fact. A fact I would have never had the confidence to even think about before I first saw you. I am truly the best I have ever been in thanks to the love we have found. Together.”

“Marianne. I hated to see you in so much pain back then, it gave me the spark to give it my all to try and help you find the beauty within yourself. I don’t remember when it was that I first realised that I had fallen for you so deeply. But after a while I realised how much you had given me in return too, a passion had burnt inside my heart from something as simple as your look. You could turn the coldest winter into the warmest summer. From that day forward I knew how truly special you were to me. And I had learned above all else that together we’d be able to hold up the whole world.”

Marianne opened the box between them and took out the rings. They were a simple golden band with a small crystal gemstone no bigger than a pinhead delicately embedded in each top. Polished to a mirror shine they dazzled as they were brought into the light of the garden. They both took a single ring and cupped it in one hand.

“Will you do me the unparalleled honour and become my wife” she said, as she threaded the ring onto Hilda’s finger. 

“I will”. Hilda too did the same. 

As they returned their hands together they wrapped their fingers around each other as the two golden strips touched. As they did they felt the power of the gemstones began to react as their clear surface clouded. The two lovers closed their eyes as the magical force bleed through them and the gemstone’s clouds parted into a brilliant flash of light. Before slowly tapering off and settling on a fiery ruby red hue.

The two opened their eyes again and saw that the change had been completed. The stones on their fingers had settled down, binding the two rings in red; as one in spirit. 

Hilda and Marianne both turned their attention upwards to their partner to embrace and kiss again, this time letting their inhibitions go letting their bubbling emotions come to the top. Their time as two hearts together as one had been the greatest time in both of their lives, filling their time together with an ethereal cosmic power that made their spirits soar, and from that moment forward they knew that it would keep growing stronger from there. 

And for the first time Hilda Valentine Edmund smiled, and laughed, and cried, and smiled again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading. This was for #MariHildaWeek 2020. Glad I did this. I hope you enjoyed it too :)


End file.
